Czechia’s black metal outfit Inferno has gone through remarkable stages of progression in their long career. The eighth studio album ‘Paradeigma (Phosphenes of Aphotic Eternity)‘ defines a high level of unparalleled musicianship and cohesion. Their slow metamorphosis from pagan black metal has paved the path for the band to delve into a more orthodox style of black metal. Although their early works already showed signs of growth and creativity, Inferno in my opinion hadn’t reached the supreme peak of their musical quest until the sonic advancement of the 2013 album ‘Omniabsence Filled by His Greatness‘ which was followed by the marvelous album ‘Gnosis Kardias (Of Transcension and Involution)’. These two albums stood as a musical showpiece where each had its own subtle dimensions. However, the newest offering evokes an atmospheric sense of quality and wanders off from the recognized domains of avant-garde black metal. With ‘Paradeigma (Phosphenes of Aphotic Eternity)’ Inferno possesses cinematic elements and superb guitar arrangements. This fundamental change in sound has elevated the faculty to explore imaginative sonic fields.

The first thing that you will come to notice is the echoing reverb of the vocalist Adramelech. While the songs are spacious, they are full of innovative ideas. Despite the sophisticated performance, the songs are accessible and uniquely appealing. The opening intro ‘Decaying Virtualities Yearn for Asymptopia‘ drifts into cosmic landscapes with the highly textured synts contrasting with the intense bombardment of rapid blast beats. What Inferno achieved here is that they have eliminated all unnecessary riddles in the song composition and extracted the atmospheric essence of the previous albums. Much of the musical creativity shimmers in the catchy guitar lines and the beautiful textures of the synth. ‘The Wailing Horizon‘ bursts in a powerful momentum of the drums that invoke the cosmic forces while the songs are based on sophisticated textures and ambient soundscapes.

‘Paradeigma (Phosphenes of Aphotic Eternity)‘ is a dense album and sweeps with droning guitars that produce an airy cosmic aura of pure elegance. The composition is measured by the richness of multi-layered textures and eerie female chants that makes the songs sound dark and epic. While many of the songs bear similarities to Blut Aus Nord’s latest album ‘Hallucinogen‘, the band has clearly brought some creative aspects to the music. Throughout these thirty-five minutes, Inferno demonstrates a genial and artistic ability to move into the atmospheric realms of dark experimentation. ‘Descent into Hell of the Future‘ emphasizes the atmosphere in a constant shift from mid-tempo to blast beats. As much as the songs offer a slew of macabre art, the music overflows with chromatic textures and rhythm guitars. ‘Paradeigma (Phosphenes of Aphotic Eternity)‘ takes you deep into the cosmic labyrinth of awe-inspiring soundscapes.  

Inferno seamlessly interweaves the elements of unorthodox and atmospheric black metal in an exquisitely dramatic way. While every instrument is harnessed to perfection, the most compelling part is the drum performance that provides a manifold of rhythmic beats. There are plenty of hooks laced into each track from the shifting tone of the synth to the constructive work of the drums that provide a dynamic boast. At times it’s difficult to distinguish the buried vocals in the mix from the intricate musical arrangements, despite the excellent sound quality and production. The role of the vocals itself is as a component of magic. ‘Ekstasis of Continuum‘ is a dark and brooding piece of cosmic opera that moves into the modern realm of atmospheric black metal. The use of the tremolo-picked riffs is somehow restricted and that’s because the songs rely on this epic motion of polyphonic textures. The excellent guest vocals of Hekte Zaren from Adaestuo clearly add a sense of mystery and beauty to the songs. ‘Paradeigma (Phosphenes of Aphotic Eternity)‘ is fully imbued with dark occultism which the band explores further in the modern aesthetics of black metal. Therefore, the songs are innovative and lend a sonic experience of unfathomable beauty.

The closing track ‘Stars Within and Stars Without Projected into the Matrix of Time‘ provides a complex array of ethereal synth work. Building on the dramatic interplay of the celestial soundscapes, rapid blast beats and obscure chanting, ‘Paradeigma‘ is a monumental milestone in the band’s discography. Recommended for fans of Cult of Fire, Blut Aus Nord and Panzerfaust.

Release Date: May 7th, 2021
Label: Debeburmorti Productions
Track list:

1. Decaying Virtualities Yearn for Asymptopia
2. The Wailing Horizon
3. Descent into Hell of the Future
4. Phosphenes
5. Ekstasis of the Continuum
6. Stars Within and Stars Without Projected into the Matrix of Time